To overcome the problems of bearing friction in relatively large spinning structures, a pair of magnetic bearings have been used to suspend or levitate the ends of the axis of a spinning rotor relative to a stator by magnetic forces or flux concentrated in relatively narrow air or vacuum gaps between the bearing rotor and stator. These bearings can be particularly useful in a spacecraft environment to mount such devices as mechanically despun antennas. While axially controllable magnetic bearings have been used in combination with axial position sensors in a control loop necessary to provide axial stiffness of the suspended rotor location, constant rotor radial stiffness has been an inherent aspect of such axial bearings. For example, in the copending application of Phillip A. Studer, Ser. No. 100,637, filed Dec. 22, 1970, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, a single coil is provided to produce a differential flux in two axially aligned gaps for axial force or position control while a constant, permanent magnet produced, bias flux in the axially aligned gaps produces a constant radial stiffness.